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U.S Government. Unit C – Political Parties Chapter 5 / Section 1 Parties & What They Do. Parties and What They Do. What is a political party ? What are the major functions of political parties?. Chapter 5, Section 1. What Is a Party?.
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U.S Government Unit C – Political Parties Chapter 5 / Section 1 Parties & What They Do
Parties and What They Do • What is a political party? • What are the major functions of political parties? Chapter 5, Section 1
What Is a Party? • Apolitical partyis a group of persons who seek to control government by winning elections and holding office. • The two major partiesin American politics are the Republican and Democratic parties. • Parties can be principle-oriented, issue-oriented, or election-oriented. The American parties are election-oriented. Chapter 5, Section 1
What Do Parties Do? • Nominating Candidates - Recruit, choose, and present candidates for public office. • Inform and Activate Supporters—Campaign, define issues, and criticize other candidates. • Act as a Bonding Agent—Guarantee that their candidate is worthy of the office. • Govern—Members of government act according to their partisanship, or firm allegiance to a party. • Act as a Watchdog—Parties that are out of power keep a close eye on the actions of the party in powerfor a blunder to use against them in the next election. Chapter 5, Section 1